I am a bridesmaid in a wedding in 6 weeks and we are wearing strapless dresses. I've worked hard to lose weight by doing cardio and eating right and I am about 5-8lbs from my goal weight. I really want to tone up my arms in time to wear the strapless dress. Is 6 weeks enough time? What exercises should I do? If anyone knows of a website, please send the link. Thanks!

Sat. Jan 27, 9:45am

I also am in a time crunch for my arms. I bought a weighted ball at walmart and have been doing a routine with that, which targets my arms. It feels fun, not like a workout so I am likely to go ahead and just do it. I really do feel it though. It is a mixture of lifts, throws and catches. I got it out of a magazine, so can't give you a link, but will try to describe the exercises to you, if you are interested.

Also,
You can take weights, even 1 pound food cans, in each hand and do simple exercises while holding them. I will stand in front of my fridge, lean my forehead against it for balance, lift my upper arms behind me. That starting position does not change. I slowly straighten my arm (forearm swings back, upper arm stays put) then slowly return to start. I do it until my triceps scream.

Saturday, January 27, 2007, 11:25 AM

Push ups and Dips. As many as you can do. Every day. If you have a gym membership hit the gym 3 times a week and lift as heavy as you can and increase every week. You will be sore but you could get your arms more defined.

Saturday, January 27, 2007, 12:03 PM

Do you have a pull up bar? If you do, then instead of pull ups, only lower your self. you will have to use a stool or something to get yourself into position, like you have just done a pull up, and then use your arms to slowly lower yourself, then use the stool again to get back up. do this repeatedly.

Saturday, January 27, 2007, 12:30 PM

weights, weights, weights. Get the some arm workout videos and 5, 8 and 10 pound weights and do them every other day, and you will be ripped in 6 weeks. Work all the muscles - biceps, triceps, shoulders, back, chest.

Saturday, January 27, 2007, 12:34 PM

Two online workouts/videos for toning your arms

There are two great arm workout at www.self.com. Click "Fitness" on their home page, then chose "arms" in the dropdown menu of their Workout Search function.

Jiggle-proof Your Arms is a solid dumbbell arm sequence. Some of the moves are pretty basic - they'll be familiar if you've taken body conditioning classes at the gym - but there are a few surprised mixed in.

Amazing Arms has some of my favorite new moves - your arms get a great workout, but so does the rest of your body. I feel that it's helping my posture too, making my shoulders relax in a way that feels, I dunno, graceful.

pushups and swimming laps. swear.
my arms are pretty tough now, ...if i could only get my legs to be the same way!

Sunday, January 28, 2007, 1:15 AM

I agree with the 4:11 poster,

that "Amazing Arms" workout is one of my favorites. It'll work out arm muscles that run-of-the-mill curls and kick-backs just don't. I really like exercises that make you use a number of muscles to stabilize yourself during the movement. They give you the best overall toning workout. I would definitely second this recommendation to the OP.

Congrats on closing in on your goal weight, btw! I think 6 weeks is plenty enough time to tone up your arms if you're already so close to your goal weight. Stay focused and you'll look great by the wedding. Just try not to show up the bride. ;)

I was going to say push ups as well, they are actually a great all over workout. They are tough!!! But you will get used to it and love your new found strength.

Good luck and enjoy the wedding..

Monday, January 29, 2007, 2:42 PM

OP here - thanks everyone for the great suggestions. I started doing push-ups and working with weights. I'll let you know how it goes!

Tuesday, January 30, 2007, 10:16 AM

1:15 AM - try horseback riding for your legs!

Tuesday, January 30, 2007, 6:11 PM

push-ups tone your arms

do as many pushups as you can during your workout. Mix your grip, wide, narrow. You can also turn a balance ball upside down and use that for further toning. I workout with a personal trainer once a week, and core work and pushups is probably 30% of the total workout.

Thursday, October 04, 2007, 4:57 PM

power yoga!

Friday, October 05, 2007, 8:29 AM

Here's the key

Don't work your arms every day. You must give them time to heal.

Here are some exercises to do:
push ups (I think we all agree there)
dips
bicep curls with the maximum weight you can handle (you don't have to do a lot of repetitions, do as many till you fatigue).

Alternate the arm exercises every other day with cardio. Include cardio that involves your arms:

Running - excellent for overall toning
Rowing - this is what I do about 1-2 weeks before an event or something
Swimming

But the key is rest and cardio.

The cardio will burn fat, the rest will help your muscles heal, and you'll be able to see some definition......also, cut down on sodium and sugar which bloat your entire body and can make arms look "puffy".

Friday, October 05, 2007, 8:53 AM

Up your cardio a little bit. Tone is fabulous, but no one will be able to see all the hard work you've done if it's still hidden by fat (not insinuating I know your weight, I just mean 1000 situps a day won't equal great abs if the fat's still there and cardio's the "cure")

Friday, October 05, 2007, 12:38 PM

"Amazing arms" no longer in Fitness.com

Everybody offered great advice, I also wanna tone my arms for a wedding (I'm the bride!!! LOL) and heard great things about the "Amazing Arms" and "Jiggle-proof your arms" routines in Fitness, but seems like they are no longer available there :( keep getting the "content not found" page. If anyone have a link to another page showing these routines or something similar, please share it, thanks!!!

Thursday, October 09, 2008, 9:04 PM

"Amazing arms" no longer in Fitness.com

Everybody offered great advice, I also wanna tone my arms for a wedding (I'm the bride!!! LOL) and heard great things about the "Amazing Arms" and "Jiggle-proof your arms" routines in Fitness, but seems like they are no longer available there :( keep getting the "content not found" page. If anyone have a link to another page showing these routines or something similar, please share it, thanks!!!

Thursday, October 09, 2008, 9:06 PM

Oops, I meant Self.com

Sorry, my mind slipped, but like I said if anyone have a link to another page showing the arms routines ("Amazing Arms" and "Jiggle-proof your arms") that used to be in SEL.COM or something similar, please share it, I'd really appreciate it!!!

Friday, October 10, 2008, 3:23 AM

100 push ups challenge

I learned about the 100 push-up challenge here on PT. It's a six week program and I just finished week 2 last night. It literally takes only 10 minutes a day, 3 day a week. I am definitely seeing noticeable results already and I still have 4 weeks left. Give it a shot and I promise you won't be disappointed!!